Ear discharges or bleeding

Table of Contents

Ear discharge is drainage of blood, ear wax, pus, or fluid from the ear.

Alternative Names

Drainage from the ear; Otorrhea; Ear bleeding; Bleeding from ear

Considerations

Most of the time, any fluid leaking out of an ear is ear wax.

However, discharge may also be caused by a minor irritation or infection. A ruptured eardrum can cause a white, slightly bloody, or yellow discharge from the ear. Dry crusted material on a child's pillow is often a sign of a ruptured eardrum.

Bleeding from the ear may also be due to:

Trauma to the ear canal

Foreign object in the ear canal

Injury

Cancer

Common Causes

Eczema and other skin irritations in the ear canal

Inflammation or infection:

Otitis externa

Otitis externa - chronic

Otitis externa - malignant

Otitis media

Otitis media - chronic

Mastoiditis

Injury from a blow to the head, foreign object, very loud noises, or sudden pressure changes (such as in airplanes), resulting in a ruptured or perforated eardrum

Swimmer's ear -- usually accompanied by itching, scaling, a red or moist ear canal and pain that increases when you move the earlobe